Ross County's pursuit of a return to the Scottish Premiership has taken an exciting turn with the appointment of Tony Docherty as their new manager. Club chief executive Steven Ferguson believes the "stars aligned" in bringing Docherty, a seasoned campaigner with a proven track record, to the Highlands. The appointment comes just three months after Docherty's departure from Dundee, where he successfully steered the club to Premiership survival last season.
Ferguson emphasized Docherty's burning desire to prove himself, a quality that resonated deeply with Ross County's own ambitions. "He has a fire burning like a manager who thinks he has got things to prove," Ferguson stated. "That aligns with Ross County and the fact we've got things we need to prove – we want to win this league and we want to get back to the top flight. That's what Tony wants and that's what we want, so really the stars aligned in that situation."
The challenge ahead for Docherty is clear: to guide Ross County to the Championship title and secure promotion back to the Premiership. Ferguson acknowledged the groundwork laid by Don Cowie, who departed the club by mutual agreement, in assembling a squad capable of achieving this goal. Now, it's Docherty's responsibility to ignite the fire and unlock the team's full potential.
Docherty himself expressed his excitement and eagerness to get started, citing the "passion and ambition" displayed by Ferguson and chairman Roy MacGregor during their initial discussions. He envisions implementing a playing style and identity on the pitch that will captivate the fans. "I am really excited and desperate to get started," Docherty said. "I would like a playing style and an identity on the pitch that the fans can get excited about."
Acknowledging the competitive nature of the Championship, Docherty intends to draw upon his previous experience as an assistant manager at Kilmarnock and St Johnstone, where he was involved in successful promotion campaigns. "I see Ross County as a top flight football club, but there will be real competition," he added.
Reflecting on his time at Dundee, Docherty expressed pride in his achievements over the past two seasons. During his time away from management, he embarked on a fact-finding mission, visiting David Moyes at Everton and Brendan Rodgers at Celtic to gain insights into their managerial approaches. He also embraced the role of a BBC pundit, using the opportunity to analyze teams in both Scottish and European competitions, further broadening his understanding of the game.
Ross Morren, founder of The County Corner podcast, echoed the fans' anticipation for Docherty's arrival, highlighting the overwhelming support for the new manager. "Managerial appointments can sometimes split the fan base, but there is overwhelming support for Tony Docherty," Morren noted. "He is well-known for his attacking brand of football. I think we've lacked identity to our style of play."
Morren also highlighted the attacking talent within the Ross County squad, including players like Ronan Hale, Jay Henderson, Adam Emslie, Nicky Clark, and Kieran Phillips. The hope is that Docherty can harness this potential and create an exciting brand of football that will propel the club back to the Premiership. "We've the likes of Ronan Hale, Jay Henderson, Adam Emslie, Nicky Clark and Kieran Phillips - there's a lot of attacking talent there. If he is able to harness that then it will be an exciting time to be a Ross County fan."
With the "stars aligned" and a clear vision for the future, Tony Docherty's arrival at Ross County marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the club, as they strive to reclaim their place among Scotland's elite.
